Mage vs Grok Imagine
The best Grok Imagine alternative, with Grok’s models and many more
Grok Imagine makes fast images and videos with sound inside the Grok assistant, but it shares one weekly usage pool with chat and coding, video needs the Premium tier or above, and no plan offers unlimited generations. Mage runs Grok’s image and video models in the same prompt box as many others, on plans with unlimited generation.
No installation. No credit card. Private by default.
The short answer
Is Mage a good Grok Imagine alternative?
Choose Mage to keep Grok’s look while gaining unlimited plans, Characters, and other video models to compare. Stay with Grok Imagine if you mostly want the assistant, X, and Cursor in one subscription.
Grok Imagine is best for: Grok and X subscribers who want image and video generation bundled with their assistant
Grok Imagine is the AI image and video generator inside xAI’s Grok assistant. It creates and edits images and animates them into videos, and it is included in The X Subscription plans that bundle Grok, X, and Cursor.
Why people switch
Why people switch from Grok Imagine to Mage
Unlimited plans
On Grok Imagine: Every tier shares one weekly usage pool across chat, Imagine, voice, and Cursor, and no plan offers unlimited generations.
On Mage: From $10 a month on Basic, 11 model versions generate unlimited at their default settings, and Max runs all 51.
28 model families in one place
On Grok Imagine: Imagine runs xAI’s own Grok Imagine models only.
On Mage: 51 image, video, and audio model versions behind one prompt box, including Nano Banana 2, GPT Image 2, Grok Image, Flux 2, Mango, Guava, Cherry, Lemon, Plum, and Wan Video v2.2.
Free to start
On Grok Imagine: The Free plan includes limited image generation, and video starts at the Premium tier.
On Mage: New accounts get 300 free Gems, with no credit card and nothing to install.
Characters
On Grok Imagine: Video references hold a face and voice across scenes, with up to seven image references per generation in the app.
On Mage: Save a character once, from one photo or a prompt, and mention it as an @handle on 13 model families. No training needed.
Side by side
Mage vs Grok Imagine at a glance
Mage's column is read from Mage's own catalog and plans. Grok Imagine's comes from its own pages, each with a link to the source.
| Feature | Mage | Grok Imagine |
|---|---|---|
| Paid plans from | $10 a month (Basic) | $8 a month (Plus) Source |
| Top plan | $200 a month (Max) | $200 a month (Ultra) Source |
| Free tier | 300 free Gems when you sign up, no credit card | The Free plan includes limited image generation in Imagine and limited chat. Video generation is not included. Source |
| How usage is billed | Unlimited plans: from Basic ($10 a month), 11 model versions run unlimited at default settings, and Max runs all 51. Gems pay for everything else, at 1,000 Gems for $1. | No per-image credits. Each paid tier gets one shared weekly usage pool spent across Grok Chat, Imagine, Voice, Bot, and Cursor, and a high-quality video uses far more of it than a chat message. When the weekly limit runs out, paid features pause until it resets, or the user buys extra usage credits (on the web only). 720p video falls back to 480p after the tier's 720p cap. No plan offers unlimited generations. Source |
| Models | 28 model families and 51 versions, including Nano Banana 2, GPT Image 2, Grok Image, Flux 2, Mango, Guava, Cherry, Lemon, Plum, and Wan Video v2.2 | Grok Imagine Image 2.0, Grok Imagine Image Quality, Grok Imagine Image, Grok Imagine Video 1.5, Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite, and Grok Imagine Video Source |
| Privacy | Private by default: nothing is public unless you post it | xAI may use prompts and other content to train its models unless the user turns off “Improve the model” in Data Controls; Private Chat content is not used for training and is deleted within 30 days. Conversations can be shared through public links. Source |
| Content policy | Fewer filters, with clear rules: nothing illegal and no misuse of real people | Generation is governed by xAI’s Acceptable Use Policy, and xAI says all generated images and videos pass through automatic content moderation. The minimum age is 13, and users aged 13 to 17 need parental permission. Source |
| Consistent characters | Characters: save one from a photo or a prompt, then mention it as an @handle on 13 model families | Imagine Video 1.5 references hold a face, product, or location across scenes: up to seven image references per generation in the app, plus voice references, so the same face and voice persist. The API accepts up to 14 image and 3 voice references. Source |
| Developer API | REST API with TypeScript and Python SDKs and ComfyUI nodes, paid in Gems | The public Grok Imagine API covers text-to-image, image editing and multi-image compositing (up to 10 images per request at 1K or 2K), and text-, image-, and reference-to-video. It also edits and extends video, with clips up to 15 seconds at 480p, 720p, or 1080p and generated audio. It is billed per image from $0.02 and per second of video from $0.02, separately from subscription usage. Source |
| MCP server | Official MCP server at https://mcp.mage.space/mcp for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and more | No official MCP server for image or video generation was found. xAI hosts an MCP server for looking up its documentation at https://docs.x.ai/api/mcp. Source |
| Platforms | Web, in desktop and phone browsers | Web (grok.com/imagine), iOS, Android, and Grok inside X. Source |
Pricing
Grok Imagine pricing vs Mage pricing
List prices in US dollars before tax. Mage's plans add monthly Gems and unlimited generation on the models they cover.
Grok Imagine plans
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly, per month | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | The Free plan includes limited image generation in Imagine and limited chat. Video generation is not included. |
| Plus | $8 | $7 | Base shared AI usage pool across Grok and Cursor; Imagine image generation included, video generation not included |
| Premium | $30 | $25 | 4x the Plus usage pool; image and video generation, latest Grok models, Grok Bot |
| Super | $100 | $84 | 15x the Plus usage pool; priority model access at peak times |
| Ultra | $200 | $167 | 50x the Plus usage pool |
Mage plans
| Plan | Per month | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 300 Gems when you sign up |
| Basic | $10 | 500 Gems a month, and 11 model versions unlimited at default settings |
| Pro | $30 | 1,500 Gems a month, and 36 model versions unlimited at default settings |
| Pro Plus | $60 | 3,500 Gems a month, and 46 model versions unlimited at default settings |
| Max | $200 | 15,000 Gems a month, and 51 model versions unlimited at default settings |
In fairness
Where Grok Imagine is stronger
No tool is best at everything. As of October 2026, this is where Grok Imagine has the edge.
Videos come with generated audio, up to 15 seconds and native 1080p, from xAI's own Imagine models. Source
One subscription from $8 a month bundles Imagine with the Grok assistant, X Premium features, and Cursor. Source
Video references keep both a character's face and their voice consistent across scenes. Source
One-click task templates in Imagine, such as e-commerce photos, professional headshots, background removal, character sprites, and smart resize. Source
Switching
How to switch from Grok Imagine to Mage in 3 steps
Create your free account
Sign up with Google, X, or email and get 300 free Gems. No credit card, nothing to install.
Bring your references
Download your favorite Grok Imagine creations and upload them to Mage as references, or save a face as a Character to keep it the same in every image and video.
Pick a model and create
Choose from 28 model families in one prompt box. When you want more, unlimited plans start at $10 a month.
A little more clarity
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Grok Imagine models on Mage?
Do I need an X or Grok subscription to use Mage?
Is Mage cheaper than Grok Imagine?
Is Mage free to use?
Are my creations on Mage private?
Does Mage have an API or an MCP server?
How current is this comparison?
Switch to Mage for free
Free to start, private by default, with 28 model families in one place.
Start creating for freeModels to try on Mage
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Facts about Grok Imagine come from its own public pages, checked in October 2026, and link to their sources. Plans and prices change, so check Grok Imagine's site for the latest. Grok Imagine is a trademark of its owner, and Mage is not affiliated with it.